The rise and fall of Maria Shepard
by XxRebelAngelxX
Summary: Maria Shepard was in love, That was simple But one day when Kaidan, Thane, and Garrus go on a mission, something horrible happens to her lover. Will she ever rise from this accident, or will she be left to die without him?
1. The death of Garrus Vakarian

Blood was splattered on her face but that did not stop her.

Garrus was under attack, she could not let that happen,

"Garrus!" Shepard screamed reaching for his claw, but it disappeared in the midst of the cloudy wasteland and all she heard was a fading shout of "Shepard, I love you!"

Shepard collapsed to her knees, tears now washing away the velvet blood that was painted on her face, but soon Kaidan interrupted her thoughts with a sudden hand on her shoulder.

"It's time to leave commander" he said despondently looking at her with those creamy brown eyes.

"No" she mumbled, covered by her sobs

Suddenly a boulder was falling, about to collapse upon her but Thane jumped and pushed her out of the way, they were both saved.

She stood up and faced Thane, angry.

"You should've let me die!" she yelled , irate. "I wasn't going to let you die Shepard, I mean commander".

Thane was right she could mourn him later.

She had a galaxy to save.


	2. The dreadful night begins

Maria was in pain.

Not just physically, but mentally too.

The shock of Garrus just falling, screaming the words she loved hearing come from his mouth.

"I love you"

The thought of it just made her shiver in want.

She started sobbing into the white silk pillow that lay on-top of her bed, she was crying so badly she would've swore she felt her crying blood. Her thoughts were interrupted when Liara walked into her cabin.

"Can I come in?" she asked but not waiting for answer she walked in, now sitting on the edge of her cot she put her blue hand on her back patting it "I know, I am so, so sorry Maria". "He was a good friend" she continued but jumped as she felt Maria stop shivering for a moment.

Maria looked up to see the light blue Asari crying.

"He was more than a friend Liara,"

He was her lover.

Never had she ever loved someone as she loved Garrus. Maria knew she could trust Garrus too, not with only her secrets but..

Her heart too.

He was her best friend, her savior. If they were in a battle Maria could always trust Garrus to be right by her side, ready to protect her worthless body.

Maria was worthless, she did not deserve to be the death of him.

"Are you okay Maria?"

"Yea everything is all lollipops and flowers, no!" she yelled, not needing to.

But Liara got the message.

"I will leave you Shepard but remember this, he was my friend too"

Then she the Asari left.


	3. A memory of the fallen

Maria woke up, the fish tank waking her up with its bright elegant light shining on her pale eyelids, pale from her sobbing the night before. Maria was not sure if she would ever, ever get over Garrus after all he was the one who saved her countless number of times as a matter of fact.

There was no Shepard without Vakarian

Maria remembered them mumble those words a few months ago when the both finally confessed their felling for each other. The memory pained her;

4 months ago…

"Shepard, I never knew you had a thing for men with scars?" Garrus asked/stated looking deeply into her green eyes with a passion only one action could empty. "Garrus," she chuckled with slight amusement at his statement, "you're the only GUY I like with scars…" she mumbled flirtatiously, staring deeply into his blue eyes.

In sink, both Maria and Garrus leaned in for a sweet, fulfilling kiss letting it last as long as their hearts wished until Shepard spoke "If you die Garrus, I will kill you"

"Why? Because you would be miserable without my love?"

"No you stupid turrian because I just realized.."

He cut her off, but they both spoke the same thing they were both thinking.

"There is no Shepard without Vakarian"

Then he took her hand and leaded her toward the cot that looked so empty without her.

Those were the days.

By the time she finally got up to get dressed she realized it was already 10:30 A.M. , that would just not do.

By the time she got down to the mess hall the whole place became quiet when she entered the elaborate but small room where in each corner the was a not small, but not huge amount of food.

When she passed by the silent tables to Liara's lab/room Liara was sitting down at her table, scribbling notes about one of the crew members.

"Liara can I talk to you a moment?"

"Surely" she responded getting up, " Take care of her" she spoke to the bot that helped her occasionally. "Can I help you Shepard?" she asked Maria wearily " I am sorry about last night" " it's fine its ok.." "no its not" Maria interrupted Liara hastily, but politely. " I should've thought of a better reaction than simply taking out my grief out on you, I apologize" Liara just smiled.

She chuckled a bit at how desperate Maria was to apologize, but what Maria didn't get was that she actually had been in that situation before, she just hadn't told her Commander all of the details but if she brought it up now Maria would surely remember. "Commander, can I tell you a story before you go tell the other teammates what happened?". Maria shook her head, "go ahead".

So she began the tragic story of her lost lover on Omega.


	4. The lover of Liara T'soni

Liara sat there on a bench right in front of Afterlife on Omega, sitting there wondering when her friend would show up.

What was she saying he was more than just a friend.

Just to pass the time by Liara would either count the shuttles that were passing by or check her omnitool to check her private messages or to see if their was any messages from Commander Shepard but wait-

She was dead.

Tears slowly slid down her fragile blue face just to remember the memories she had with the best woman in the galaxy.

Soon she jumped as she heard the door open and shut from the main entryway and stood up to see him, the wonderful man she loved.

But when the man saw her crying her paced toward her and pulled her into an embrace to cease her tears of the fallen. That did not help though.

"I am sorry to ruin the mood"

"It's alright Liara" he whispered as she put her head on one of his broad shoulders.

"Everybody dies, it's simply the circle of life"

After his comment she pulled back with an astounded look on her face, " she wasn't just an **anybody** Varrik" she said in an angered tone.

Liara stepped towards the railing of the plat form of Omega to see the dark city lights, "she is the savior of our galaxy, the great Maria Shepard"

She faced him again

"Maria is not just an anybody, an anybody would be me or, one of the Asari in Afterlife"

He took her palm again.

"You're not an anybody, you are the love of my life the star to my galaxy, my heart to my soul" he mumbled hugging her once again.

"I know, it's very sad, I lost my mother too when I was younger even though she is your friend not relative but I know she means a lot to you, just like my mother meant a lot to me"

Liara now looked up to see that Varrik was shedding a little bit of tears too. "I am so sorry my love I didn't mean to make you upset it's just, well I am not in the mood for remembering people right now let's just go remember the memories we can make at the dinner place on the Citadel, you ready?" she asked him now pulling away to see a grin on his face.

"What type of memories?"

"Oh you flirt!" she said holding his as the went toward the front entrance.

As soon as they go to the dinner place it was filled with enjoyment of romance and friendship. As they got a table and sat down it was time to start talking about it was between them before eight turrian's walked in with guns and biotic equipment ready.

Varrik would not allow that.

He stood up and sent his abilities flying just like he mad their enemies do.

But one of the other turrian's shot was right on target as it blasted through his plating and Liara dragged him under the table as the other guest were trying to evacuate.

"Varrik are you alright?" she asked worriedly and put her palm over his wound and he gave a stifled moan and put his claw over her hand "leave".

"I can't leave you"

"You must you see.."

He glanced down at his wound, "I will be dead in a matter of seconds because it ripped right through my heart plate"

"NO!"

"Yes leave but let me tell you one thing, "

"I"

"LOVE"

Than his eyes widened and than closed suddenly and his hand unclenched her hand to know reveal a beautiful diamond right on her blue ring finger

Tears were now streaming down her face as she got up from beneath the table,

"Looks like we missed one…." Said one Turrian now his class lighting up at the side of her.

"NO" she said her fist lighting up

Then they all fell to the floor.

"Looks like I missed none"


	5. News of a lost item

By the middle of the story Liara was already tripping over her words, Shepard could already feel the weight gained on her shoulders in the presence of Liara. By the end of the story Shepard was relieved, because the story had caused her to tear up too.

"I am sorry I doubted you," Maria said "I guess you really know how I feel after all both of our lovers fought and died to protect us". "I should've never have doubted you, I am sorry Liara" than she pulled Liara into a friendly hug, and felt all of Liara's stress be pulled off by their friendship. "You are my best friend Maria" Liara said with a saddened grin on her face "as you are mine Liara I will be always here for you".

A few hours later she was back in her cabin filling out some papers about the incident with Garrus and what was going to happen with his body;

When they found it.

Her face burned with anger and hate for not being able to save Garrus, what was wrong with her?

Maria should just die, she was worthless anyway and nobody would miss her would they?

Now that Garrus was gone there was nothing to live for except..

Maria could not think like this!

Tears were flooding her eyes again, would her eyes ever dry out well, probably not now that she thought about it.

Not straying from work long though, Maria returned back to her omni-tool that was now glowing oddly.

It was an alert.

Maria quickly raced for it and with the quickness of her movements it dropped, "crud" she whispered to herself as she picked her omni- tool and opened her private messages.

It read,

Dear Commander Maria Shepard,

We have received a sniper rifle that looks like the one Garrus had with him but it was nowhere near the location where you said he fell,

It was next to the docking bay.

-Asari commanding guard Serena.

Shepard got dressed in her military clothing and raced toward the elevator to prepare the crew of their new destination.


	6. good news all around

Maria stepped smoothly onto the surface of Omega, where she was meeting the commanding guard Serena to see the remainders of her lost lover's gun. "Hello Shepard, this is what my men found" she said now handing her his signature sniper rifle. She cringed at the touch of the cool metal touching her pale skin, the thought of him, it hurt her.

"Thank you," she whispered, trying not to sound too sad.

Maria couldn't leave just yet though, she promised to meet Tali at the Omega slums.

When she arrived at the edge of the steps she saw Tali leaning against a dull support beam but when she noticed Shepard she ran toward her and drew her in for a huge hug. "Maria…" she was surprised to hear Tali call her by her first name but did not say anything and replied with her name in return. "I am so, so sorry Maria you know that right?"

Of course she did.

"Why would you think I DIDN'T know how much you were sorry, but getting to the point why did you want to meet here?" Shepard asked Tali " I wanted to let you know that I knew a guy and he is.."

"I am thankful for your help but" Shepard cut her off " that is the last thing I am interested in Tali"

Tali laughed a little

"No, no, no I meant I knew a guy that has heard a dispatch call from that specific collector base.."

"WHAT WHY AM I JUST HEARING THIS NOW!"

"because I just found out Shepard, literally I found out this morning"

"I couldn't ask for a better friend" she said before running off,

"neither could I"


	7. Hope appears

There was a huge load on her plate that she could not get rid of, it felt like Hell. Even though she was excited about traveling to the Citadel tomorrow to talk to the C-sec officer Tali had mentioned about his findings on the Collector base.

As she sat at her desk just reading over the messages Kelly had sent her she heard EDI came on the intercom. " Thane Krios is coming up to your cabin to speak with you Commander" "Thank you EDI" she replied exiting out of her messages and stood up when she heard the door open. "Hello Thane," she huffed walking towards her couch and sitting down "what can I do for you?" " I wanted to apologize for the other day Commander about my roughness, the harshness of my words to get you out of there, I know how much he means to you".

Shepard wanted to slap him for that, she knew for a FACT he would never know how much he meant to her, he just never would. "I am sorry Thane but I highly doubt that" she said trying to hold back her anger, now clenching her fist under the coffee table in order to hide that very harsh anger. "Well what you think is wrong Shepard, I know entirely of what you are feeling";

Then it hit her, he was right he did know what it felt like. Shepard felt so bad now that a teardrop tumbled down her fluorescent skin and onto the black and white coffee table. To make sure another one did not fall Thane took her in his arms, something she was not expecting. Instead of cringing though she just let go and started sobbing onto his leather coat, finally letting all her grief and anger go. "I LOVED HIM THANE" she sobbed loudly into his coat, Thane now rubbing her back in circles.

"I know," he whispered now a clear drop falling from his eye too.

The moment lasted for what seemed like forever until Shepard pulled back to look into his never ending, black-hole eyes. They were filled with hidden, dark emotions and memories that would haunt him forever until this Kepral's disease took over him.

"It hurts me to see you like this Shepard" he continued, now sitting up straight like nothing ever happened "and I wish I could help you in some way".

She smiled

"You've done enough for now Thane, thank you"

He nodded his head and silently exited her cabin. She breathed with a sigh of relief and sadness and feeling that would never go away;

Grief

Shepard understood what was to be her future, or at least she thought she did. She imagined a galaxy without the Reapers and the whole galaxy happy, except her because she would either be dead or lonely.

Then she realized that there was still hope left, just a drop of sunshine that could erase away the darkness.

Shepard awoke to the sound of Joker on the intercom, "Commander we are twenty minutes away from landing on the Citadel" "Thanks Joker". Shepard realized when she got up that she had fallen asleep while reading messages on her bed _I'm an idiot _she thought as she slipped on her armor "here we go"

The bright blue lights of the Citadel burnt the Commanders eyes as she exited the Normandy. In the distance she could here space cars and the sounds of the Citadel fill the air like the buzzing of bees in springtime back on Earth. As she headed toward the main area of the Citadel she saw the man Tali had been talking about. He was shorter than she was and a little bit chubby, which didn't surprise her at all. "Hello you must be Commander Shepard" he said as she came near "I am officer Presley, you're here for the evidence of Garrus's disappearance right?". "That's right" "good because I worried there for a second, afraid I didn't hear Tali correct- but anyway here is what we found" Presley sent some data over to her Omni-tool and handed her Garrus's famous rifle. "What does this data have in it?" "it has the recordings from the dispatch call we received, something about him fighting off some more collectors and getting more data, here I will let you look for yourself". Shepard listened closely

"_Shepard I hope you are listening to this because, well just I hope you are. I found some new data that Mordin can use and some info that would make the Illusive Man pleased, so hope you can get back here soon because it is getting very, very annoying fighting these Collectors and"-_

_Sounds of shooting _

"_Just please get here soon"_

Then the message ended. "I hope this helped"

Shepard shook his hand "thanks for your help, but if you don't mind I have some business to take care of"

Shepard from then on gracefully left the place of her remaining sadness and fear. Now happiness and joy filled her heart, the heart she thought would never love again.


	8. The attempt to rescue

**Hey guys I am only writing this chapter because one viewer (****deanandjo4ever1) has inspired me to write more when I wasn't going to, I was going to leave it at a cliff hanger and get you guys all mad XD! But this one is just for you, and remember people, it has to end somewhere though. **

Maria just wanted to get this over with, she wanted-no NEEDED to find him and for him to bring her in his arms and whisper how much he had missed her since he had disappeared.

The Normandy neared the Collector ship and she took Miranda and Professor Solus with her on the shuttle. _I should've brought Thane, _thought Maria as they left the Normandy on the egg white shuttle.

The shuttle ride seemed to take forever. "How long will it take to get there?" she murmured now banging on the shuttle door "come on are we low on fuel on something let's get a move on" she yelled.

Maria realized that she was so worried about Garrus that she was being a total krogan to everyone else. "Wow Shepard, you're really anxious aren't you?" Shepard snorted at her comment and remained silent until they landed on the ship. "We will give a dispatch call when we are ready to be picked up"

"Roger that Commander"

Then the shuttle took off and Professor Solus , Miranda, and her all took out their own midnight black guns and began to look around for Garrus.

"Where were you guys when Garrus fell?" asked Miranda

"We were near the huge cliff near the edge of the ship, but he wouldn't have been able to give a dispatch call from their"

"So he must be in one of the control rooms, seems logical" said Professor Solus in his normal emotionless tone. "Let's get going"

Shepard waved her team over to a hallway that probably led to a control room , she couldn't really remembered she had been too focused on getting the job with she didn't really remember the ships structure.

"Are you sure this is the way?"

"I think, I really don't remember"

"that's reassuring" commented Miranda, obviously wanting to end their petty conversation.

That's when they saw a Collector.

"Duck!" yelled Maria running a sliding so that she was hiding behind an object so that she would dodge the bullet that was so dangerously close to hitting her forehead.

She reloaded before she stood up and shot four Collectors in-between their four yellow eyes.

"Nice!" screamed Miranda over the sounds of the Collectors laser's as they were trying desperately to win this battle, but they wouldn't-

Nor would Shepard's team be able to afford it.

But there is always bad luck in the face of danger

As Shepard stood up to fire another bullet the laser cut through her armor and right into her shoulder.

"AH!" she screamed in pain as the laser ripped through the skin on her shoulder.

The pain was _excruciating_

She toppled over and screamed out of pain several times until Miranda and Professor Solus had taken the rest of them out.

"Good thing your hear Solus" whispered Shepard and passed out.

**-BACK ON THE NORMANDY AFTER THE FIGHT-**

Shepard woke up to see that she was in…

's office.

"What the heck.." Maria grumbled sitting up on the cot. "Shepard, your awake" said standing up from her usual position in her leather black seat. "What happened after I was shot with the laser"

"Miranda and Professor Solus brought you back on the ship"

"What about Garrus"

There was a pause, a long pause that broke her heart after said "They had to leave him there Shepard you were more important at that time and Professor Solus couldn't fix you out in the open like that"

Now she was just plain furious!

"So you they just left him there! He could die at any moment, if not already dead"

"They are very sorry Commander"

"They will know how sorry I am after beating there as-

"There will be none of that Commander, you need your rest that laser ripped right through your flesh"

"How long will it take to heal?"

"Probably a few days"

Shepard huffed and looked at her,

"You expect me to wait that long"

"No I actually don't, but you need to"

"Then how are we going to save him?"

"I have an idea about that actually Commander"

Shepard was quiet so she could listen to plan.

"That might actually work" she whispered

"Call him up"


	9. A plan with Thane

**Dear Readers,**

**Sorry I haven't updated my stories in awhile, there have some very personal issues in my life right now so I hope you can forgive me and we can move on to the story!**

**BTW reviews are ALWAYS welcome, keeps me writing **

Thane trudged up to the Medical bay to see what Maria wanted him for.

Sure he wanted to help her, no he NEEDED to help her because, because,

He _loved _her.

He would do anything for his Siha, sure they weren't lovers but she agreed for him to call her that, it was a warrior and goddess after all.

As he entered the office he saw Maria, SHEPARD, pacing in circles while the Doctor stood silently in the corner watching Shepard nervously until she heard Thane and looked up.

"So nice to see you Thane"

Then after that Maria looked up

"Glad you're here" she said plainly

_She means business _thought Thane as he began to talk, "What can I do for you Commander?"

"I have a little question, or more of a favor to ask you…"

He was in trouble.

"Can you gather some of the crew to go get Garrus, with you being um, a substitute Commander?"

Thane couldn't believe his ears

"I would be _delighted _Shepard"

Shepard smiled warmly and ran and gave him the BIGGEST hug ever and kissed him lightly on the cheek.

"Thank you Thane, now go gather that team".


End file.
